The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-10-12

before she was able to go out again. !
Then. when she called to see Sylvia
she found her busy packing up her ,
household goods.
care you giving up the house,
Sylvia?" she asked in surprise.
Yes, I am going into the country,
Amt Mary" answered Mrs. Bentley,
who always called Mrs. Jessup by the
title of aunt, though they were con-
lected only by marriage. Il want to
tell you all about it. SO come into the
parlor, and I will fin.l you seat"
She looked SO bright and animated
that Mrs. Jessup felt sure Ernest had
found lucrative employment. and
breathed a sigh of relief. for she was
very fond of Sylvia.
Your face shows that you have good
news to tell me-" she said, as she fol-
lowed Sylvia into the dismantled par
lor.
Perhaps you may not consider II
good, Aunt Mary. You may think ]
have invested my money foolishly."
You have invested it, then?"
Yes, and am going into business.
That startles you, ! see. But you don't
know how many hours l lay awake at
night wondering in what way could
invest my money so it would yield IL
sufficient income to support us all. !
made up my mind that the first prin-
ciple of money making in business is
to provide some thing people must
have, at no matter what cost, and
that would be on the market
all the year round. The only
thing could think of was eggs. PEG.
pie will have buildings, cakes. cust;,rds
and omelets whether eggs are fifteen
or forty cents u dozen. So l have
bought little farm, and am going into
the poultry business with all possible
speed"
Sylvia! what ventureH
Nothing venture, nothing have, you
know, Aunt Mary. l had to do some-
thing, 1t is very small farm-only
seven acres-and the house is not at
all pretentious. with q faint smile,
"but there is u good deal of fruit OIL
the place, and we can raise all our
own vegetables Ernest and the chill
dren can attend 10 tho garden whio |
devote myself to my poultry. 1t will
cost us only half as much to live il the
country as to live here. In fact, ] am
lighter of heart than for long, lang
time. l gave one thousand dollars
cash for the place. 80 | have enough
left to take care If us until my basi-
ness begins to pay. You l.u;n't dis
courage me by IL single word, Aunt
Mary, for I am full of hope.
discourage your reiterated Mrs.
Jessup, as she rose impulsively, ana
threw her arms about Sylyia's slender
figure. Il would not do so for thu
world. l think you are Il brave, noble
woman, my dear, and something tells
me you will succeed in your undertake.
ing"
There were many who did not share
Mrs. Jessup's opinion. and who
thought Sylvia's Investment foolish t'
the last degree; but Aunt Mary proved
true prophet. Sylvia's whole hear
was in her work, and she was no
easily discouraged nor cast down. Sh
did not attempt any fancy breeds o
poultry, but bought common fowls
fed them well, watched over them re
ligiously. and studied faithfully
standard work on poultry-rasing
The result was that her business
began to pay almost Immediate
ly. 1t was in the beginning of F ebruar
that she bought the farm, and sh
started with two hundred fowls, TO
which she paid fifty dollars In Marc
9 and April she sold a large number o
eggs. After that time she used all sl
D collected for setting purposes, an
+ raised nearly four hundred chicken
Y during the summer and early fal
There were losses of course, and OF
casionally she made mistakes; but eS
pcrience is an excellent teacher. an
' in a years time she understood he
. business thoroughly. At the end q
two years she had no more fears
: the future. She was enjoying an in
O come ample for the support Of hit
8 family, and had invested in hor:
and wagon, several hogs. and tw
!. COWS. Her health had improve
G wonderfully, too. She was no long
pale and weary looking. And 81
:. had a great source of comfort in tt
+ fact that her husband, ashame
II of his many failures, and an
d ious to show that he possessed at lea
It the willingness to support his famil
lie devoted himself to the garden az
g. orchard so zealously that they 500
20 began to repay his care, and adde
is much to the family income.
..In fact, Aunt Mary" said Sylvi
G. one day, when Mrs. Jessup drove o
ia to see her. and they were talking ov
some improvements to be made to t
to house, II have much to be thankf
it for, and am very happy. There nev
t was IN investment that turned o
in better for all concerned than mine. !"
. Because there never was a true
or better woman at the helm Of any d
he nestle ship than Sylvia Bentley" So
e. Aunt Mary, as she kissed her. "Tha
ne the secret of your success, my deal
d Florence B. HalloWeLl in Chica
Standard.
ae Natural tpoIIirv